Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/niftiz

This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Germanic

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *néptih₂ (“grandchild; sister's son”). Cognate with Latin neptis (“granddaughter, niece”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈniɸ.tiz/

Noun

*niftiz f

1. a female descendant or relative
2. granddaughter
3. niece

Inflection

i-stemDeclension of *niftiz (i-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*niftiz	*niftīz
vocative	*nifti	*niftīz
accusative	*niftį	*niftinz
genitive	*niftīz	*niftijǫ̂
dative	*niftī	*niftimaz
instrumental	*niftī	*niftimiz

Related terms

• *nefô

Descendants

• Old English: nift
  • Middle English: nyfte, nift, nifte
    • English: nift (obsolete)
• Old Frisian: nift
  • West Frisian: nift (archaic)
• Old Saxon: nift, *nifta
  • Middle Low German: nifte, nichte
    • Dutch Low Saxon: nicht
    • German Low German: Nicht
    • → German: Nichte
    • → Saterland Frisian: Nichte
• Old Dutch: *nifta
  • Middle Dutch: nichte, nifte
    • Dutch: nicht, (obsolete, Holland) nift, nifte
      • Afrikaans: niggie (from the Hollandic diminutive nichie)
      • Negerhollands: nechi, nechtje, negje
    • Limburgish: nich
    • → West Frisian: nicht
• Old High German: nift, nifta
  • German: Nift, Nifte (archaic)
  • ⇒ Old High German: niftila (diminutive)
    • Middle High German: niftel, niftele
      • Cimbrian: nüftl
      • German: Niftel (archaic)
• Old Norse: nipt
  • Icelandic: nift